Jet Li' s latest photo was surprising and many readers started to worry about him. When I first watched the photo and read that he has hyperthyroidism the first thing that I told was 'At least his eyes are not bulged'. I think this can show you that I have many experience with thyroid issues and I'd like to share it to you. This post is about my personal experiences and it doesn't substitute visiting a doctor.

What is thyroid?

Thyroid is an organ that is placed in the forepart of the neck. Its form is similar to a butterfly. Well, it can start growing and it can deform, too. It is not a big organ, but it is very important. It is called as the chorus-master of our body. It products hormons.

Thyroid disorders

• Hypothyroidism
  The thyroid works less than it should. If the hypothyroidism is autoimmun, it is called as 'Hashimoto' disease'.
• Hyperthyroidism
  The thyroid works more actively than it should. If the hyperthyroidism is autoimmun, it is called as 'Graves' disease'.

These are the basics, let's see what it means in our lives.

What does thyroid disorder effect?

Let me give a simple answer! Thyroid effects almost everything, as it is the chorus-master of our hormone system.

• Digestive system
  It has a big effect on appetite. You are less or more hungry because of your thyroid disorder. You go to the toilet more or less often. It can be very drastical, like 5 times a day or 2 times a week. You can guess that if the food spends so much or so little time in your body, it can't be used and digested properly, which can cause other harms like lack of vitamins.
  And you will loose or gain weight unintentionally and drastically. You can do whatever you can to loose weight, you can eat a yoghurt daily and spend 2 hours in the gym everyday. You will gain weight... a lot of weight.

• Heat sensible
  People with thyroid disorder usually feel always too hot or too cold. And it is really not funny to feel hot always. Just imagine that it is winter and you want to walk without any coat to not feel hot. This is the only time of the year and the only resolution to ease this hot feeling. How many people will look at you thinking that you're crazy? Too many.

• Hair growth, skin
  Thyroid disorder affects the hair growth. People with this disorder usually experience hair loss and their hair is unable to grow. Well, hyperthyroism can cause right the opposite, too. Girls can be happy to have very long and beautiful hair. But the hair growth can happen on other part of the body, too. And no girl would be happy to have mustache or beard.
  Additionally the fingernail usually broken and the skin is dry.

• Eyes
  Graves' disease has a very emerging symptom: the bulged eyes. It can be scary. You may ask that the eyes will be back to normal ever again. Unfortunately, no.

• Tiredness
  Hypothyroidism can cause tiredness. However you can feel more energized because of hyperthyroidism. None of these are normal, these are extreme tiredness or activity. Imagine that you almost can't wake up on Friday at the end of the working week. And you spend your weekend with sleeping. You are awaken ca. 10 hours a weekend and other times you sleep. And you are still tired. You are always tired.

• Pain
  Thyroid disorder can cause muscle pain, too. Sometimes holding a book is painful, because the muscle pain is too strong. Or you can't clean your house because you are tired and you are in pain.

• Mood
  If you consider these symptoms, it is easy to figure out that the symptoms has a very big effect on the mood. Won't you feel depressed if you are always tired, you suffer because of the pain and nothing helps you to feel better?
  But that's not all.
  Hyperthyroism, hypothyroism and even changes of the hormones can has an effect on the mental state. Many people with thyroid disorder are diagnosed and treated with panic disorder, depression and anxiety. Will the pills help? No, they won't. Patients spend years with curing their mental disorder pointless before a doctor will find out their thyroid disorder accidentally.

• Is there a cure?
  If it is untreated, it can cause a life threatening situation.
  There's no cure, but it can be treated well. People can have an almost normal life. There are medicines, radiotherapy, surgery. I guess life will never be back to normal, but the symptoms can fade away or they can be less strong.

Thanks for reading my post!